


Keep Calm and Persevere

by A_Strawberry_Baby



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Basically, Emotions and Stuff, F/M, Gen, Gilbert whump, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Some angst, Worried Anne, come join the fun!, just lots of pain, my first fic on here so idk how to tag, possible shipping later on, shortness of breath, sick gilbert, vomitting, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22521043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Strawberry_Baby/pseuds/A_Strawberry_Baby
Summary: Bash arrives at Green Gables in the middle of the night, holding onto a nearly unconscious and terribly ill Gilbert. All he can do is hope the Cuthberts can keep him safe in time for him to fetch a doctor.Turns out whatever sickness Gilbert has won't be going away overnight. In fact, things tend to get worse. However, Anne will be right there with him, and she's willing to stay for however long it takes.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Sebastian "Bash" Lacroix, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Marilla Cuthbert & Matthew Cuthbert & Anne Shirley
Comments: 49
Kudos: 162





	1. Chapter 1

Anne stretched down from her bed to turn off the lamp beside her, finally settling in for the night. It was late enough to where she knew she should already be sleeping, but there was no way that was going to happen. Too much had transpired that week, too much to think about. The thought of her parents, her true birth parents, made her head reel with confusion. She was desperate for answers, and truth be told she hardly slept at all since she had gotten back home. 

She rolled over, her fingers entwining with her long red hair. She wondered whether she got her hair from her mother, or her father. Maybe both of them were redheaded. The thought was almost enough to make her love her own hair. Almost.

Once more, she turned onto her other side. Sleep. I need to sleep. 

If only it were that easy. Anne thought.

At least seeing Cole had been entirely worth the trip, despite not getting the answers she was searching for. She missed Cole dearly at school, but felt truly blessed to know how happy he was with Aunt Josephine. It was incredible how fate had brought the two of them together. She nuzzled further into her pillow and smiled. Kindred Spirits.

And Gilbert-

Knock, Knock, Knock!

The sudden noise startled Anne straight into a sitting position, her hands gripping the sheets so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her whole body was already shaking with adrenaline. Who would be at Green Gables at this unholy hour? Judging from the pit in her stomach, and the violent knocks at their front door, it was something very serious.

Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock!  
More desperate this time, louder. It terrified Anne right to her core. Part of her didn’t want to know what was happening or who it was, but her body began to move on autopilot as she slipped out from under the sheets and opened her bedroom door. 

There was Marilla, who was in the process of leaving her own room, a candle in her hand, looking around wildly in desperation. The tension in her face drained slightly when she saw Anne. 

“Anne-”

“Marilla? What’s happening? What’s wrong?” Anne begged. 

Before she could reply, Matthew emerged from his room as well, just as another set of repetitive knocking occurred. They were even louder without the safety of their own doors to muffle it.

“I’ll go see... Wait here.” Matthew declared, immediately heading downstairs.

“Oh be careful Matthew!” Marilla argued, following her brother close behind. 

Anne stood frozen in place, her mouth open dumbly until more violent knocking jolted her out of her daze. 

“Please, Please open up!”

Anne gasped, she knew that voice. There was no mistaking that voice. 

Her heart sank even further as she took off down the stairs. Matthew had just began opening the door as Anne had made it there.

It was Sebastian- Bash, like she suspected, but he looked terrible, and he seemed just as, if not more scared than they were. He was out of breath, his face was coated with sweat, and his eyes were wide and red. Her focus shifted as Matthew opened the door even further.

Bash was holding onto a nearly unconscious Gilbert, who looked as though the only thing holding him upright was the grip of Sebastian’s arm around his side. He grimaced and groaned in pain as Bash readjusted his grip, and was shifted further up.

“I’m sorry for showing up like this, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Bash panted. “Gilbert is sick. Really sick.”

“Well don’t just stand there, get him inside!” Marilla shouted, but there was no malice in her voice, it was clear that she was just as scared as Sebastian, anyone would’ve been able to tell just how serious it was. “Anne, hurry and prepare the guest room bed!”

Anne nodded and choked out an inaudible response, struggling not to focus on how deathly pale Gilbert looked. She turned to run up the stairs, but only managed to get halfway up before hearing a thud.

“Gilbert!”

“Dear Lord!”

Anne stopped to look. Gilbert had somehow slipped from Sebastian’s grasp on their way into the house, and had collapsed onto the floor. He moved to get back up, but a violent coughing fit took over, forcing him to lower back down and curl into himself. 

“Get him up, slowly now…” Anne heard Matthew say. 

He put a comforting hand on Gilbert’s back as Bash moved to pick him up, one arm under his knee, and another around his shoulder. Gilbert tried to push away from the hold, muttering something incoherent that Anne wasn’t able to hear. 

“Hush now Blythe, you stubborn mule.” Bash joked, but his voice wavered. “You ain’t gotta worry about gettin’ me sick. Just let us take care of you.”

Gilbert tried to speak again but was silenced by Marilla’s hand on his forehead. She felt for a moment before pulling away. She remained silent, but passed an anxious glance to Matthew instead. Anne felt her heart sink to her feet. Marilla always spoke outright and to the point; never danced around people’s feelings. If she was staying quiet, it was undoubtedly serious. Bash seemed to notice too, and held Gilbert even tighter, who finally relented and allowed himself to rest his head on his friend’s shoulder. 

“Anne!” Marilla shouted, guiding them all to the stairs. “Guest room, now!” 

“Sorry.” Anne breathed, sprinting up the stairs so fast that she was into the guest room before she knew it. 

She was used to working under pressure, she had even saved Minnie May from Croup; but this was somehow completely different. 

It wasn’t Minnie May, it was Gilbert. 

And she didn’t know what to do.

She pulled back the sheets on the guest bed, fluffed up the pillow, and tried to brush some of the dust off of the headboard. No one had really touched this room since Nate had stayed with them. The memory left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she ignored it. She took a match from the bedside table and lit the lantern next to the bed. 

Soon enough, Bash walked through the door with Gilbert still held close, Marilla not far behind, but Matthew stayed in the middle of the door way, unsure of what to do. Anne did her best to move as far out of the way as possible, but Marilla held an arm out to stop her. 

“Help me take off his shoes.” Marilla instructed, already beginning to untie and remove one of them. 

Anne did as she was told, and soon they had removed his suspenders as well, before Bash deemed it safe to lower him to the bed. As he set Gilbert down, his breath seemed to hitch, and a horrifying wet cough tore through him. Even though he was now lying on the bed, one of his hands still gripped onto Sebastian’s coat as he fought to take control of his breathing. 

“Can’t-” Gilbert gasped, “I can’t- ‘reath…”

His breathing was short and rapid now, painful gasps that tore a hole through Anne’s chest. She didn’t want to see him like this, powerless and suffering. It was almost too much to bare. 

“You’re doin’ fine, Gilbert. Just fine, my brother.” Bash soothed, gently removing Gilbert’s hand from his coat in order to hold it himself. “Try to be calm.”

“I, I can’t…” He tried to finish, but the coughing came back full force. 

Anne swallowed, and ran around to the other side of the bed, without thinking and despite Marilla’s quiet protest, she grabbed Gilbert’s free hand in her own and locked their fingers in a tight grasp. 

The new contact seemed to temporarily put a stop to the coughing, and he turned his head vaguely in her direction.

“We’re all right here, you’re okay…” She told him. “You’re okay.”

It took a moment for him to process what had been said, but gradually Gilbert’s stiff posture began to lessen with every deep breath he tried to take. They weren’t full and satisfying breaths, but it was definitely an improvement. 

Marilla leaned down and brushed away some of the curly dark hair that stuck to his forehead with sweat. She felt for his temperature again, lingering longer this time. 

“We haven’t time to waste.” She said finally. “Anne, hurry downstairs and fill a pot with water.”  
“Matthew, grab a few dish towels… And fill a glass with water. He needs to stay hydrated.”

Before she had even finished talking, Matthew was out of the room, rushing with twice the energy as he normally had. Anne carefully peeled her fingers from Gilbert’s hand, terrified that any sudden movement would cause him more pain.

She ran downstairs as fast as she could, and soon enough when she got everything she needed, she followed behind Matthew back up the stairs; some of the water from the bowl splashing over the sides as she hurried.

Before they reached the top, they could hear the dreadful coughing start up again. Anne slipped to the side of Matthew and ran ahead of him into the room. By the time she got there, there was about half less water in the bowl than what she started with. Apologies would have to wait. She set the bowl of water down next to the bed, and Marilla put a hand on her shoulder as a wordless thank you.

Gilbert’s whole body shook as he tried to curl up again, despite Sebastian trying to keep him on his back. 

“Woah, woah, slow down.” Bash tried to calm him, but it was no use, he was too delirious with pain and fever that he was inconsolable. 

“Dish towels?” Marilla demanded.

Matthew handed one to her as he set the glass of water down. She took it, dumped it into the bowl and wrung the excess water out. To Anne’s surprise, it was given to her. 

“Try your best to cool him down, Anne. If what you said about your wives tale is true, I need to go see if we have any onions.” 

Anne nodded, taking Sebastian’s place by the bed in order to get closer. She placed the dish cloth to his forehead, and the effect of it was instant. Gilbert’s eyes eased opened for the first time since they entered the room. He looked around groggily, finally settling in Anne’s direction. She tried to ignore his gaze and focus on bringing his fever down, but to her surprise, he reached for her. 

“Anne?”

She took a deep breath, shaking heavily on the exhale. Mustering up the courage, she steeled herself and refused to let any tears come forth. Tears would not help bring his fever down. He needed her to be strong.

But he sounded scared, and that made her scared too.

Her eyes welled up, but she wiped them quickly and set back to work, dipping another cloth into the water, ringing it out, and pressing it against his cheek. She could feel his teeth chattering from under the dish cloth. He looked terrible. She wasn't sure if it was the lighting, but he looked even worse than he had when he had gotten there. His normally bright and lively eyes were glazed over and glassy, yet they were still searching for hers. She didn’t want to look, knowing that the second she did, she would start crying. Instead, she grabbed the hand that was reaching for hers, his grip was weaker than it was before, but he seemed to relax further into the pillow. 

“C-cold…” Gilbert whispered, his voice hoarse from coughing.

Bash was already reaching for the comforter on the bed, but Anne stopped him. 

“Only the sheets.” She said. “He might feel cold, but his temperature is still far too high.”

Bash nodded, lifting the thin sheets over his chest, much to Gilbert’s dismay.

Just then, Marilla had returned with Matthew, a basket of onions in her arms. Anne left one of the dish cloths on his forehead, hoping he would stay put while she wasn’t there. Her hand slipped out of his again, but he didn’t protest, in fact he barely responded other than frowning slightly. Anne moved down to help Marilla apply the onions like she had with Minnie May. It had worked with her, so she prayed it would work the same with Gilbert.

Bash had took over Anne’s spot while they worked, holding onto his hand once again despite the fact he looked too drowsy to appreciate it. 

“Sebastian, please try to get him to drink something, he’s been sweating all night.” Marilla told him. The exhaustion in her voice was clear, but it never slowed her down. 

Bash brought the glass to his lips and shook Gilbert’s shoulder slightly, urging him to take a sip. He shook his head and grimaced, wrapping his arms around his stomach. 

“Oh c’mon Dr. Blythe…” Bash teased, “You know better than anyone that you should be stayin’ hydrated. Now drink.” 

“It’ll come back up…” He argued. 

“Slow sips then.” 

Finally, he relented and drank a bit, not nearly as much as Bash or Marilla wanted him to, but it had to do for now.

Marilla sighed and stood up, once again she put a hand on Gilbert’s forehead, feeling longer this time. She pulled away with a disheartened look, and turned to Matthew like she had when she was downstairs, only this time she walked towards him. 

“May I speak to you in private, Matthew?” She asked, although it wasn’t so much a question as it was an unsettling demand. 

They left the room together and went out into the hallway. Anne chewed her bottom lip and looked across the bed at Bash. The tension in the room was undeniable and silent; the only noise was the sound of Gilbert’s labored breathing. His eyes had slipped close for now as he slipped in and out of sleep.

“How…” Anne started, her voice wavered with uncertainty. “How did this happen, I-... I had only just seen him a few days ago, and he was fine... I don’t understand…” 

“It seemed to have started when he got back from the trip to Charlottetown.” Bash told her. “He started complaining about about a cough, and his throat hurt. I didn’t think much of it, you know how he is; dramatic.”

Anne couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “Oh, I know.” 

“He just got worse from there, fever, cold sweats, coughin’... I didn’t want to risk Delly gettin’ sick, you know?”

Anne’s eyes grew wide, she realized that this was the first time all night she had even wondered where Delphine was, she couldn’t believe how forgetful she’d been.

“Delphine, who’s looking after her? Where is she?” 

“Don’t worry now,” Bash hushed her, “On the way over I brought her to Miss Rachel, bless her heart, she’s looking after her.”

Anne sighed with relief. Despite the dangerous state Gilbert was in, at least Delphine was safe.

At that moment, Marilla and Matthew entered the room again, their expressions did nothing to lighten the atmosphere. Bash stood up, finally letting go of Gilbert’s hand. 

“I hate to ask, as you’ve already done so much…” He began. 

Marilla shook her head, and overwhelming amount of compassion in her eyes. “Anything you two need, we will do what we can.” 

“I was hoping Gilbert could stay here… While I go to Charlottetown to fetch Dr. Ward.” 

“Of course.” Marilla said. “But…” 

“But what?” Anne interrupted, she didn’t like where the conversation was going. He needed a doctor, that was all. He would be fine soon.

“Anne, please.” 

“I don’t understand, what ‘but’ is there? He needs a doctor, that much is obvious, and there’s no way he can be left at home, so what more is there, Marilla?!” Speaking louder and faster the more she talked. 

“That is not what I meant!” Marilla yelled, silencing the whole room. “Gilbert is… he’s very sick, Anne…” Her voice shook with emotion, and it scared Anne to death. “I’ve seen symptoms like this before, and…”

Something about the tone of her voice made tears well up in Anne’s eyes again. Yet right now, she just felt angry.

“Why are you acting as if he’s already dead?!” Anne screamed, jumping up from her spot by the bed. 

The room fell silent in an instant; Anne’s clenched fists loosened at the sight of Marilla’s face. It was clear she felt regretful, but Anne was ashamed more than anything. She knew it was wrong to be yelling right now, especially at Marilla who was only trying to help. What they needed to do was obvious, and there was no way she was going to stand back and watch as her friend struggled in pain. 

“I’ll go now to fetch Dr. Ward.” Bash said, interrupting the tension. “I may not be back until the afternoon.” 

“I’ll go with you.” Matthew spoke up. 

It came as a surprise to both Marilla and Anne, but no one objected. It would be safer if Bash had company.

“Please be careful… Both of you.” 

Marilla put a comforting hand on Sebastian and Matthew’s shoulders. “It won’t do to worry about the two of you as well. So… Promise me you’ll be safe…”

“Promise. We’ll be back with Dr. Ward before you know it.” Matthew comforted. It seemed to put Marilla slightly at ease.

Bash managed a small smile on their way out of the room. “Thank you Miss Cuthbert; Anne. Please take good care of him.”

“He’s in good hands, We'll will watch over him.” 

Bash nodded and spared one more look at Gilbert before turning away and running out the door. It was out of his control now, all he could do was pray that Gilbert would survive until the doctor came back home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This chapter contains SPOILERS for S3 EP3]  
> wow, this got a LOT more attention than I was expecting it to. i just wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone who commented and gave kudos! You made the process of writing chapter 2 so enjoyable. i'm feeling really motivated, so i hope this chapter was worth the wait. enjoy!

Neither Anne nor Marilla got any sleep that night. They conceded that there was no way they could sleep now, not after spending so long being anxious and hyped on adrenaline. Instead they kept themselves busy with taking care of Gilbert, making sure he drank enough, and switching the damp dish cloths out every so often. 

Occasionally he began coughing again. The cough sounded worse than it did earlier; it had true substance behind it now, like phlegm build up and mucus, and like before, it was a while before he would catch his breath and stop. Marilla ended up retrieving a bucket from downstairs and keeping it by his bed in case he needed to use it, but Anne hoped it wouldn’t come to that. 

She likened the situation to her own experience a few years ago when she had only been living on Green Gables for a few months. One summer’s morning she had decided to walk down to the Lake of Shining Waters by herself and wade around in the shallow waters to cool off. 

It turned out she had misjudged how deep the water truly went. As soon as she slipped in, she realized what a mistake it had been. On top of that, the water was much colder than she had expected it to be. She gasped without meaning to and inhaled a decent amount of water as she sank. All she felt was the intense burning pain in her nose and throat, as though the water had been forcefully shoved down her windpipe. 

She tried to call out for help, but all she could do was cough over and over again. The edge of the lake that had been only inches away just a few moments ago, was suddenly out of her reach. Her legs were just only inches from the bed of the lake, but it was those few inches that made the difference between her survival, or her end.

Looking back on it now, Anne recalled it as being one of the most utterly terrifying incidents of her life. A life, which in that moment, she believed was going to be cut very short. If it weren’t for Jerry leaving the farm to run a few errands, she knew she wouldn’t have made it. 

Jerry had rode by on the wagon, his daydreaming cut off abruptly when he spotted Anne in the lake, kicking and flailing violently as she gasped for air. The boy hadn’t wasted any time before he dove into the lake after her, effortlessly swimming across the lake in order to grab ahold of her. His feet reached the bottom just fine, making it easy to lift her out of the water and onto the shore by the lake. She wouldn’t stop panicking even after reaching solid ground, but eventually her fear just reduced to sobs. 

Anne couldn’t help the swell of fondness in her chest at the thought of Jerry, and how he comforted her after the accident. To her surprise, even now, he didn’t mock her for falling in, nor did he ever bring it up again. 

She truly hoped what Gilbert was going through wasn’t as painful, but the way he coughed was so reminiscent of that day, that Anne knew it was just as bad, if not worse. 

“Anne?” 

She lifted her head towards the door, and there was Marilla, the stress from the night seemed to be wearing her down every second, and Anne couldn’t help but notice how tired she looked.

“May I talk to you, please?” Marilla asked quietly. She didn’t just look tired, she sounded like it too.

Anne stood up slowly from the chair by Gilbert’s bed. She had been sitting there for at least two hours, and now her body was incredibly stiff and numb. Despite that, she left the room to join Marilla, sparing a glance at Gilbert before shutting the door. 

Anne brushed off the front of her nightgown and clasped her hands together anxiously. “Yes?”

“I just want you to know how proud I am.” Marilla said, shocking Anne.

“Proud?” Anne repeated in disbelief. “Of me?”

“Indeed.” Marilla’s expression softened and she took Anne’s hand in her own. “I know the fear that you have for Gilbert is because of how deeply you care.” 

Anne’s eyes began to tear up again against her desperate attempts not to. She felt as though the praise was undeserved. “Marilla… I’m sorry I shouted at you; it wasn’t right...” She glanced at the door beside them and took a deep breath, shaking on the exhale. “I… I’m just scared for him.”

The tears that rimmed her bottom lashes finally spilled over, and she was slowly guided into a hug. Marilla’s hand cupped the back of her head, gently smoothing out her tangled hair.

“I don’t know what I’d do if he…” 

Anne decided not to finish the sentence. Saying it out loud made the situation seem more real than it had before. Until now, it hadn't really occurred to her that Gilbert could possibly die. She couldn’t help but think of Mary, and how easily and quickly she slipped away from the world, leaving everything she loved behind in just a week. Would Gilbert even last that long? Could Doctor Ward arrive in time? Even if he did, who’s to say he would be any help at all? He wasn’t able to save their beloved Mary, and she never appeared to be deathly ill until it was too late. 

Gilbert wasn’t even conscious half the time, and he could scarcely breathe. 

“I don’t want him to die, Marilla.” Anne sobbed, holding on even tighter.

Marilla shushed her and held her even closer than before. She didn’t consider herself to be very skilled in consoling people, but with Anne, everything came naturally. Her heart broke for the poor child- her child. She understood the process of losing someone better than she would care to admit, and there’s no amount of comfort in the world to ease that amount of pain. 

But they hadn’t lost Gilbert, at least not yet, and there was a chance he could still pull through whatever this was.

“What if he has the same thing his father had?” Anne cried even harder, allowing all of her previously withdrawn emotions to finally come forth. She buried her face in Marilla’s shoulder, and her tears began to soak through her nightgown. “What if he never gets better?”

Marilla took a second to respond; overwhelming memories of John Blythe were surfacing in her mind that she didn’t care to remember. It was too soon, and she knew she needed to be comforting Anne, not dealing with her own grief. 

“This is too sudden, it’s not that.” Marilla told her. “Joh- Mr. Blythe... Was sick… He was sick for a long time before he passed.”

“Whatever would Bash do if Gilbert died now? And so soon after Mary…” She sucked in a harsh breath; her sobs grew powerful enough to the point of near hyperventilating. Her own mention of Mary only made things harder. “Oh Marilla, he’s so young, he has a future- plans! He can’t die now, he just can’t! I just couldn’t bear it if it happened… I don’t know what to do…” 

Marilla knew it best to let her release everything she had been holding in all night, instead of trying to stop her. Although she couldn’t deny that she herself had feared such thoughts.

They stood there for awhile, their hold on one another never wavering, never faltering for a second. Even though admitting to herself that she was terrified was one of the hardest things she could’ve done, it was like a bag of bricks was lifted from her chest. The way Marilla held her made Anne feel as though everything wrong with the world was amenable through her caring touch. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what she would do without her.

Finally, Marilla spoke.

“You said earlier that we shouldn’t act as though he’s already gone. He’s still with us Anne; don’t lose faith in him. I for one, know he would never lose his faith in you.” 

Anne froze suddenly, and a wave of guilt crashed down around her. Marilla was right, she was a hypocrite. She had lost faith in Gilbert, already assuming the worst and that there was nothing to be done, despite loudly declaring just a few hours ago that everyone should do just the opposite. It almost felt like she had betrayed him.

Anne pulled away from the hug with some reluctance. Marilla sighed and cupped Anne’s face in her hands, wiping away her tears with her thumb. At that moment, she looked so much like her 13-year-old self. Anne leaned into the touch and sighed, managing to form a wobbly smile. She refused to cry anymore tears for the situation. All she could do now was care for Gilbert in whatever way possible. 

At that moment, a loud groan came from the room behind them. The smile on Anne’s face slipped off in an instant. She rushed into the room without hesitation, slamming the door open a bit harder than she meant to. 

A pit formed in her stomach. Gilbert was on his side with his face pressed into his pillow. There was still a thick sheen of sweat covering his face and neck, with it being more noticeable along the soaked collar of his shirt, and the way his dark curly hair clung to his neck and forehead. That wasn’t the most concerning part; he was curled in on himself with his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach, trembling violently. His breath caught again and he coughed once, then gagged forcefully. 

It seemed to catch even himself off guard, but Anne moved quickly, grabbing the bucket off the floor and holding it up to Gilbert, who promptly held onto the sides and leaned over it. He tried to take another breath in, but it hitched half way through, leaving him no choice but to gag again, this time more violently. He dipped his head further in and expelled the contents of his stomach into the bucket. 

He paused to take another moment to breathe, this time managing a slightly successful inhale. Anne instinctively brushed some of the hair from his face, in the process she felt his forehead again, almost certain at this point that the fever had neither gone up nor down. The reprieve didn’t last long though, and Gilbert was again reaching for the bucket, throwing up whatever was left in his stomach. Anne knew that after this there wouldn't be much left for him to lose. It was dangerous for him to throw up, especially when he needed to stay as hydrated as possible. Although she thought it even more dangerous to try and prevent him from doing so. 

He heaved for the third time, and a strangled whimper escaped his lips before he could stop it, and she noticed him bite his lip as if to stop himself from doing it again. Anne moved in closer, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. She rubbed small circles on his back, hoping it would bring him at least a small degree of comfort. 

Anne looked up towards the doorway, suddenly realizing that Marilla was nowhere to be found. She frowned, a bit unsettled at her absence, but well aware she knew what she was doing. She brought her attention back to Gilbert.

“Focus on your breathing…” Anne instructed.

“I can’t…” Gilbert rasped. His eyes met hers for a moment, but he quickly broke the contact and looked away.

Anne frowned and found herself searching for his eyes again. When she found them, she noticed the flushed tone of his cheeks and realized he was crying. Whether it was from the act of vomiting, embarrassment of being vulnerable, or just the pain in general, she wasn’t sure, but it didn’t make the sight hurt any less. 

“Sorry…” He said, his voice nearly inaudible. His breathing was still far too fast.

“What on earth are you sorry for?” She asked in disbelief.

He only shook his head and used his palm to wipe both his eyes. Anne leaned back and grabbed both of his shoulders, turning him to face her. 

“Gilbert, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, okay? Nothing. It’s okay to be scared; to cry. There’s no reason to hide it… Especially not from me.”

Without thinking, she reached up and used her thumb to brush away a stray tear that was trailing down his face. The touch made him finally look up, his eyes still glossy and red from crying, but he sank into the touch. They sat there for longer than she anticipated, but neither of them made an attempt to move. Gilbert’s eyebrows furrowed as his eyes stared into hers, this time more focused and aware than they had been all night. His lips parted as if to say something, but the two remained silent. 

Anne froze abruptly, realizing for the first time how close they were; how her hand had never left his face even after he had stopped crying. Every sensation piled in at once, like the rattling in his throat whenever he took a breath, or the way the back of his hand was brushed up against her knee. It was enough to make her heart leap into her throat.

Her hand snapped back down to her lap fast enough to make him flinch. The look on his face told her that he was starting to recognize everything that she had, although he was handling it aggravatingly well. Anne stood up from the bed, and already she could feel the blood rushing to her face, burning all the way to her ears. She never meant for things to get so intimate- no, even the word intimate set her on edge. 

The embarrassment of the situation made the growing look of amusement on Gilbert’s face all the more upsetting. 

‘Oh no. He can definitely see how red my face is now. It must be clashing terribly with my hair- no, focus, Anne!’ She cringed at the thought. 

In fact, if he wasn’t so sick, she hoped she would never have to interact with him again, because of course, even near death, Gilbert revelled in the sight of her embarrassment.

She let out a mixture of a sigh and a nervous laugh, clapping her sweaty hands together awkwardly. 

“I- I am going to see if Marilla needs my, uh… Me.” Anne choked out.

Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and sped out of the room, mortified at how badly she screwed up that entire interaction. It burned her up inside. Since when did she care what Gilbert Blythe thinks of her? They were friends, yes, even though she spent a depressingly long amount of time trying to convince herself otherwise. 

But it wasn’t like that with him. He had never made any advancements other than offering his friendship; not that she longed for anything else besides that. In fact she was quite happy with how things were now.

Besides, friends touch each other’s faces all the time, don’t they? She certainly did with Diana, either just to admire her beautiful features, or to give her a sweet peck on the cheek whenever they had to part ways. 

Not that Gilbert had beautiful features. Or that she would kiss his cheek. 

‘What am I thinking?’ 

Anne shook her head and rubbed between her eyebrows. This whole ordeal was giving her a headache. She was downstairs before she knew it, and walked in the kitchen to see Marilla standing over the fireplace, removing a pot of boiling water from the fire. 

Of course. The steam from the hot water would help loosen his airways and help him breathe better. 

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Anne muttered, still a bit hot and angry.

Marilla’s head snapped up, as she apparently never heard her enter the room. “What was that?”

“The steam from the water will help him breathe. It helped Minnie May quite well when she had croup.” Anne repeated, leaning against the kitchen counter and pouting a bit. “It’s so obvious, I should have thought of it earlier.”

“You were just stressed is all.” Marilla comforted. 

“I was stressed when Minnie May was sick too.” Anne replied. “But I was still some help. It’s not an excuse.” 

Marilla gave her a pointed look.

“I’m sorry, I know you’re just trying to make me feel better.” Anne relented. “It just feels like I’m more of a burden to him than I am a help…” 

“Nonsense.” Marilla said as she set the pot of water down on the counter. “Speaking of Gilbert, I’m surprised you’ve left his side; does that mean he’s doing a bit better?”

Anne blushed again. “Better than before, yes. He threw up a few times but he managed to stop.” She decided to leave out how he had cried, and definitely the events that followed.

Marilla nodded, picking up the pot again. “He’ll need to keep drinking then. Fill another glass with water and we’ll bring our things up to him.”

Anne did what she was told, and followed close behind Marilla as they went back upstairs, who paused when they reached the top. 

“You shouldn’t feel like a burden to Gilbert.” Marilla said suddenly. “I believe that your presence is enough of a comfort to him.”

For once, Anne was speechless.

“He cares for you, Anne- and don’t bother denying it, it’s plain to see.”

“I-”

“I said don’t bother.” Marilla cut her off, but she started to smile. “Just continue to be there for him, and I’m sure you’ll be helping more than you realize.”

Anne smiled, touched by her claims. Praise from Marilla was always enough to make her feel better.

“Thank you, Marilla.”

“Yes, now let’s get to it.” She said, leaning down and kissing the top of Anne’s forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lackluster ending, it originally didn't end there, but i realized there was a lot more i wanted to write so I decided to just end the chapter and pick it up in chapter 3. I tried to add some sweeter moments between Anne and Marilla because I didn't want them to be angry at each other even though I believe they were kind of salty at each other at this point in the show. But I feel like it's more ooc if they stayed angry even in a desperate situation like this. Also I wanted to focus a bit more on Anne comforting Gilbert, along with some lighthearted moments among the angst. my poor boy, your suffering doesn't end here i'm afraid :( still a long ways to go...
> 
> once again, please let me know your thoughts, and if you have any suggestions for chapter 3, please let me know! thank you :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait, i hope this chapter was worth it, i tried to make it a little more eventful. enjoy!

Marilla and Anne continued to work until the sun began to crest over the horizon, finally putting an end to the long and stressful night. Jerry arrived at the farm within the hour, ready to start his morning chores. They noticed him look around for a few minutes, most likely curious as to where the carriage went. Marilla went outside to inform Jerry of what had transpired, and Anne watched them speak from the guest room window. He looked quite shocked, to say the least. At the end of the conversation he gave a nod and tipped his cap, then headed back into the barn. 

She noticed Marilla wrap the shawl she wore tighter around her body before heading back inside. Anne meandered away from the window and sat back down in the chair beside Gilbert’s bed. He had fallen asleep around two hours ago, and as much as it relieved Anne to know that he was getting the rest that he most definitely needed, she couldn’t help but stay worried. When he slept, his body was too still, too lifeless. The sun that filtered into the room showed just how pale and sickly he really looked, and she was afraid if she leaned over and felt for a pulse, she wouldn’t find one. 

Marilla told her not to worry and that this was a good thing, that he should be sleeping as much as he could, especially when he’s sick. She told Anne that another reason to leave him was that he wasn’t in any pain when he was asleep, so there was no reason for it.

She didn’t like to disagree with Marilla, and especially not out loud. Though the more Gilbert slept, the more she studied his face. Between the shallow rising of his chest, the slight downturn of his eyebrows, and the rigid posture he held, she could only imagine that even in sleep, he could not escape whatever pain he was in.

Earlier when they had brought up the pot of hot water, Anne had to hold onto his shoulders as he leaned over the steam, afraid that if she didn’t, he might pass out and fall into the bowl. The steam helped, but not as much as they hoped it would. He coughed slightly less, but the effect would wear off as soon as the water cooled down and the steam started to dissipate. Whenever that happened, she would wait with him as Marilla left the room to boil the water again. 

While they waited, Anne kept herself busy and propped up some of the pillows behind him, creating a comfortable cushion to lean against. He whispered his thanks and sank into it, almost falling asleep there and then. Usually he would fall right back into coughing before he did, and it wouldn’t stop until he was left feeling breathless and completely exhausted. Anne did her best to comfort him when that happened, yet this time she did so while remaining in her chair. Part of her hoped he was too delirious to notice. 

It was a while before Marilla stepped back into the room, and when she did it was clear why. She had taken the time to fix her hair into a tight bun, and to get changed out of her nightgown and into her everyday clothes. She sighed and walked to Anne’s chair, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

“I told Jerry what happened, and asked him to keep an eye out when Matthew and Sebastian come home.” She said in a low voice, keeping quiet so as not to wake him. 

Anne nodded, and when she opened her mouth to respond she wasn’t able to suppress the yawn that followed.

“Anne, you should try and get some rest, you’ve been up all night. It’s clear you won’t be attending school today.” 

She snapped her head up. That’s right, it was Monday already. On any other day she would’ve been dressed and ready for school by now. As much as she didn’t want to fall behind, she knew Marilla was right. In all honesty, she was exhausted, but it wouldn’t be fair to Marilla or Gilbert if she went to sleep now. 

“I’m fine, really.” She told her. 

“You’re no good to Gilbert if you don’t take care of yourself first.” Marilla countered, and Anne knew she was right.

She thought about it seriously this time, mostly wondering whether she would even be able to fall asleep with how hyperactive her mind was. She considered declining again, but the realization hit her that after she heard Gilbert’s diagnosis from Dr. Ward, it was more than likely she wouldn’t be able to sleep. 

“I promise I’ll stay with him until the doctor arrives, and if anything happens I’ll be sure to wake you.” Marilla comforted.

“I suppose I’ll try to sleep for a few minutes or so…” She relented. 

Marilla managed a smile, “Good.”

Anne took one last glance at Gilbert as she reluctantly stood from her chair. There was no doubt that Marilla would take care of him while she was away, but the idea of leaving his side was what truly frightened her. 

She turned and slowly made her way towards the door, suddenly feeling a pit settle in her stomach.

“Marilla?” Anne asked rather suddenly, catching her off guard. 

“Yes?”

“Could we say a prayer?”

Marilla’s expression softened further, moved by Anne’s sincerity. “Of course.”

She made her way over to stand with Anne between the door frame, and the two of them clasped their hands together and closed their eyes, allowing themselves a moment of silence before starting. 

“Gracious heavenly Father,” Marilla began, still smiling, and Anne let herself do the same.

“We’d like to thank you for bringing Gilbert into our home, and for entrusting him into our safe-keeping.” She took a deep breath before continuing on. “ We ask that you please keep Matthew and Sebastian safe-”

“And Dr. Ward.” Anne swiftly interrupted.

“... And Dr. Ward. Please keep them safe on their way back to us.” 

“And please watch over Gilbert.” Anne prayed. “Please don’t let him lose strength, no matter what. Please.”

Marilla nodded. 

“Amen.” The two of them finished.

Anne stared up at Marilla with watering eyes, too tired and overwhelmed to say whatever else she had in mind.

“Now it’s time to get some sleep, Anne.” 

Marilla let go of her hand as Anne wiped her eyes and made her way to her own room. The separation between them was only by a few feet, but it felt like a mile. 

As she passed by her vanity, she caught a glance at herself in the mirror, and for the first time all night she realized how disheveled she looked. Her hair was knotted and tangled the further it went down her back. She groaned and rolled her eyes, yanking her hairbrush from the top of her dresser, furiously brushing out the knots. It was a painful and long process, halfway through she began to wonder if it was even worth it. The embarrassing thought of Gilbert seeing her again in this state was enough to make her finish. 

When she was done, she wandered back over to her bed, plopping onto it unceremoniously. Her sheets and covers were still a mess from the previous night, but the comfort and security it brought allowed her to nestle further in and finally relax. 

It was a while before she ended up falling asleep. Her brain continued to reel with hundreds of different possible outcomes of what Dr. Ward would say. Every scenario she could think of was upsetting, but all were equally as possible, which was worse.

Now that she thought about it more deeply, she couldn’t recall many times where Gilbert had gotten sick. Maybe a few colds every now and then, but nothing serious enough to stay home from school. She remembered going to Charlottetown with him; there was a strong chance he was infected with this sickness while he was there. 

_I was so cold with him that day._

Anne rolled over to her side, clamping her eyes shut and swearing she would make it up to him. It was that thought that she held onto until fatigue caught up to her, enveloping her as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. 

______________________

“Anne.”

A hand shook her shoulder with slight urgency behind it. 

“Anne, wake up.”

She frowned, the glare from the window in her room was bright enough to force her eyes to remain closed as she tried to sit up. “What’s going on?”

“They’ve arrived. They’re home.” A voice she knew to be Marilla’s said, and in an instant she shot straight up, ignoring the pain in favor of looking into Marilla’s eyes. 

She could feel the relief and elation when she spoke, it made her heart soar. 

“They are? All of them?!”

“Yes, now hurry and get changed, they’ll be inside any minute now.”

Anne practically threw herself out of bed and rushed to her dresser, choosing the first dress she came across. Marilla left the room and closed the door behind her in order to give Anne more privacy. Not that she minded either way, really. The swirling anxiety in her stomach was all she could focus on, and it grew stronger every second she wasted getting dressed. 

She stopped suddenly when she heard the front door open, mixtures of greetings and exchanges of quiet pleasantries could be heard all the way to her room. It was evident how serious the tone of conversation was. It was more than likely Bash and Matthew had informed Dr. Ward of Gilbert’s symptoms. Maybe he already knew what it was and that’s why he was so serious. 

Anne rushed to her door but froze, something felt off. She backed up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. 

Her dress was on backwards.

She rolled her eyes and groaned loudly, shifting it around as fast as she could. Her hair lacked her usual two braids, but she was already wasting enough time as things were. After frantically brushing her fingers through her hair, she finally rushed out the door in time to see the four adults climbing up the steps. Matthew and Sebastian were last, and they looked absolutely worn and drained of life. She wanted to run to them, or to sink into Matthew’s arms. No matter the circumstances, she was thankful to have them back home.

Marilla was ahead of the group, and upon seeing Anne she turned to Dr. Ward, who was behind her.

“Oh, this is our lovely Anne, who I’m sure Matthew no doubt told you all about.” Marilla said proudly, “She’s been taking care of Gilbert while we waited for you to arrive.”

“Indeed, I’ve heard all about you.” Dr. Ward said, stepping beside Marilla as he extended his hand for Anne to take. “And not just from Mr. Cuthbert, Gilbert talks about you on occasion.” 

“It’s a pleasure.” Anne muttered as she shook his hand. Upon hearing him speak, all the words she had originally planned to say became nothing but fleeting memories. 

Did Gilbert really talk about her? But what for?

“The pleasure’s all mine.” He grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes. His posture was tense and rigid, and it only served to set her further on edge. “May you be so kind as to lead me to him?”

She nodded and led them to the half opened guest room door. 

“He’s been sleeping almost all morning.” Marilla informed them as they walked in. 

Gilbert was indeed fast asleep, his chest trembling as it rose with every inhale. Anne frowned- he still looked like he was in pain. 

Bash dodged past everyone to kneel down by the bed, staring up at his friend with nothing but concern. Anne put a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. 

“He’ll be happy to see you when he wakes up.” Anne told him, and he rested his hand on hers in a silent thank you. 

Dr. Ward set his bag down on the floor and opened it up, rummaging through its contents.

“What are the symptoms, anything new?” He asked, pulling out a stethoscope. 

Anne gently guided Bash away from the bed in order to let the doctor sit in the chair that was pulled up next to it. 

“His fever was very high,” Anne started after a deep breath. “He kept saying he couldn’t breath, so we had him breathe in steam from hot water. It seemed to help a little bit.”

Dr. Ward nodded solemnly, still setting up his things. “What else?”

“He threw up a few times…” 

“How many specifically do you remember?” 

“Three-” “About five or six.”

Anne and Marilla both announced in unison. Anne turned to her in confusion, her look matching the doctor’s expression almost perfectly. 

“He only threw up three times, didn’t he?”

Marilla bit her lip. “While you were asleep, he woke up and did a few more times.” 

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Anne pressured. 

“I had everything under control, it only lasted a few minutes, there was no need to wake you.”

Anne looked away and folded her arms, feeling a bit betrayed.

“That’s enough for now, thank you.” The doctor said.

Everyone remained quiet as Dr. Ward put the stethoscope around his neck and gently shook Gilbert’s shoulder until he stirred. His breathing hitched for a few seconds before he squinted and looked around the room, focusing in the doctor’s direction.

Anne could tell immediately how confused he was, and he only confirmed it. 

“Dad?” Gilbert whispered, his voice breaking slightly as he attempted to focus his eyesight. 

“No, no it’s not your father, Gilbert… It’s me, Doctor Ward.” He told him. As he spoke, he placed a hand on his forehead and felt with a grimace. 

Gilbert squirmed under the touch and tried to swat the doctor’s hand away, but he was unable to lift his hand high enough. “Where is he?” He swallowed thickly. 

“Who?” 

“My father… I need to talk to him…” 

Anne looked to Marilla, her panic rising by the second. 

Gilbert had been in pain and a bit confused before, but this level of delirium was concerning to everyone in the room. She could tell Dr. Ward was getting anxious by his lack of cooperation. 

“He’s burning up; his fever is making him delirious.” He said, standing up and rolling his sleeves up.

“What does that mean? What do we do?” Bash asked desperately. 

“It means we need to cool him down, fast. Miss Cuthbert, I need you to open all the windows in this room.” 

Marilla moved swiftly, and she was across the room in an instant, lifting the windows and propping them open. Cool air drifted in as soon as she did so, and it became apparent how stuffy the room was before.

“Miss Anne, please get a few more damp dish towels ready.”

Anne did what she was told, although her hands were shaking so much she pictured herself dropping the bowl of water and making a fool of herself. Everything in the world felt like it was falling apart around her and there was no stopping it. All the scenarios that kept her from falling asleep were playing out before her eyes.

It was then that Gilbert started coughing, his breathing far too fast and broken. 

It sounded like he was drowning. 

“Turn him on his side!”

Matthew and Sebastian both helped turn Gilbert on his side as the doctor grabbed the bucket and held it to him. At this point he seemed to lack the strength to grab and hold the bucket himself, and instead he lifted his head as far as he could and retched, thankfully making it in time.

At the end he collapsed back into the bed, his whole body shaking with exertion. 

“I nee-d t-to speak with him…” He gasped out, barely audible. 

“Anne, the dish towels please.” Dr. Ward said, stoically unphased by Gilbert’s pain.

She handed him what he needed without a word, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak even if she wanted to. 

“W-where’s Anne?”

Her heart stopped.

“She w-was… She was right here…”

She rushed around to the other side of the bed where the doctor wasn’t working, but stopped herself from reaching for him. Meanwhile, cold dish cloths were placed underneath his neck, and onto his forehead. 

“I’m here.” She said, lowering down to his level. “I’m right here, Gilbert.”

“Anne?” He asked in a small voice. At that moment it felt like she went back in time, like they were just kids again. His eyes filled with unshed tears and he made the closest thing she’d seen to a smile all day. 

He made an attempt to reach for her, his hand barely lifting from the bed. She bit back a sob and grabbed it, holding on with both hands.

“You’re gonna be fine, okay?” Her voice shook with desperation. “Look at me, okay? You’ll be fine!”

All he could do was look back and forth to both of her eyes, like he was searching for something. To Anne, it felt like he was looking straight through her. 

“Can you get my father...?” He finally asked. 

“Oh, Gilbert…”

“I need t-to talk to him, p-please, I-”

“Why, do you need to talk to him?” Sebastian asked, finally drawing Gilbert’s eyes away from Anne’s.

He looked like he was going to cry again.

“Because I think I’m going to die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry lol


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for the long wait! stuff got in the way and i'm feeling unmotivated in general. A bit heavier this chapter but i wanted to leave it off on a semi-positive note! no spoilers but i'm thinking the next chapter will be a bit satisfying for all of you lol. again, i'm sorry this chapter is a bit short. hope you enjoy!

Hours were spent laboring through the task of trying to lower Gilbert’s fever. Even though he didn’t throw since the time he did earlier, he had a long way to go until anyone even considered leaving his side. 

Dr. Ward did his best to keep everyone calm enough to help, especially Anne, who was visibly shaken after what Gilbert had said. He gently assured her that Gilbert wasn’t thinking straight, and that he definitely didn’t mean it. The fever was messing with his mind, of course. 

Anne resigned to agree with whatever the doctor told her in order to make everything go smoother. Even if on the inside, thinking about what Gilbert said terrified her. Maybe he didn’t truly mean what he was saying, but the sincerity in his voice and the fear in his eyes when he spoke was proof enough that he believed it. 

And deep down, that was what really scared Anne. 

By the time his fever seemed to lower back into a less concerning temperature range, Gilbert began to ask about his father less and less, eventually dropping the thought in favor of talking to Anne. Although the conversation was inconsistent and slow, it brought a great deal of comfort to everyone around them. They talked about nothing in particular, often leading to disjointed and confusing topics. 

Anne didn’t mind at all. It kept them busy, and it drew her mind from the reality of the situation. While they spoke, Dr. Ward continued his examination while Gilbert was distracted, occasionally asking him to take a deep breath while he listened with his stethoscope. Yet every time, his breathing would catch before finishing, and the coughing would start up again.

The vicious cycle seemed like it would go on forever and never end. Eventually it was only Anne and Bash who remained in the room with Dr. Ward. Marilla escaped to the kitchen in order to cook a meal for everyone, and Matthew left to help Jerry with work outside. Anne was almost jealous. 

It was clear to her that she had the option to step away whenever she wanted. Marilla even attempted to persuade Anne into helping with the meal, even though she declined. She could never forgive herself if she did that. How could Gilbert stay strong if she was ready to give up and leave so easily?

After an hour or so, Gilbert fell asleep, he was visibly exhausted and couldn’t quite stay awake any longer. Anne was relieved to see him in a more relaxed state compared to earlier, even if it was unnerving to watch the shallow rising and falling of his chest. 

Among other comforts, Anne was incredibly thankful for Bash. It was obvious that he had an overwhelming concern for Gilbert. Not only did they have such a close bond to each other, but to have only just lost Mary, it was all too soon to deal with an illness this serious. 

Yet he was still there, not only remaining strong for his friend, but trying to calm Anne down as well. She didn’t know how he did it.

Dr. Ward finally leaned back in his chair and took off his stethoscope with a heavy sigh. He rubbed a hand down his face and remained silent for a second before speaking up. 

“He’s remarkably strong.” He told them, his expression weary. “I wish there was more I could do…”

Before Anne could begin to ask any questions, Dr. Ward turned to her and Bash, a grim expression on his face. “I apologize if I behaved callously towards either of you. As much as I hate to admit it, in this line of work you learn to shut off your emotions when dealing with patients.” He glanced at Gilbert again. “Even if I do care.”

“I understand.” Anne replied amiably; Bash agreed. “Trust me, I would much rather you focused on making sure Gilbert gets the best treatment he can.”

“Yes.” He said a bit quickly. “May I speak with Mr. and Miss Cuthbert?”

“I’ll go get them.” Anne stood up, already moving towards the door. Bash put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. 

“I’ll fetch them, Anne. You should stay and watch Gilbert.”

“But-”

“That’s a good idea.” Dr. Ward cut her off, standing up himself as he gathered his things.

Anne stood dumbfounded, looking back and forth between the two men. She felt a bit betrayed, but more so unsettled by their refusal to let her in on the conversation. What didn’t they want her to know? It only served to make her more anxious. If only they were just outright about everything, the stress could be avoided. 

Bash was already out of the room, and the doctor gave her a nod before exiting with his bags in tow. Even if she wanted to follow, she had a suspicion that they wouldn’t even let her.

A few minutes passed and she was back where she started: sitting in the chair beside the bed. She strained her ears to try and listen to the conversation they were having downstairs, but everything she heard was muffled and incomprehensible. She chewed on her bottom lip until she tasted blood. 

Eventually, enough was enough. Gilbert would be okay if she left the room for just a few seconds, wouldn’t he? She left the room, making sure to leave the door wide open in case he called for her. If anything happened, she knew she would hear it. 

Anne snuck down the hallway, perching herself at the top of the stairs and listening intently. The group of adults appeared to be in the dining room, not the kitchen, so it was a bit difficult to hear what they were saying. The tone was serious, that was for certain. 

She strained to hear bits and pieces of the conversation. 

“It’s a severe case of it, no doubt.” Dr. Ward told them. A worrying undertone of emotion shone through his voice. “When it’s this serious, I’ve seen it kill in a span of a few days.”

Anne’s heart dropped to her feet. She could only pray she had only misheard what was really being said. 

“How do you know it’s Pneumonia?” Marilla asked, and Anne could tell by the shaking in her voice that she was holding back tears. 

“He’s shown all the signs, persistent cough, fever, the rattling in his lungs.”

Anne felt herself lower down onto the steps, clutching the railing for support. 

Everything felt numb. Pneumonia? She shuddered to think of the amount of people who lost their lives to the dreaded infection. How they were healthy one week, and suddenly their names lined the obituaries the next. 

And Gilbert was on his way to becoming another statistic. 

“But people have recovered from pneumonia, haven’t they?” Matthew spoke up.

“Very few.” He spoke slowly, his tone grave. “And even less from cases this severe.”

Anne lacked the energy to do anything but curl up on the steps and cry silently. All of her worst fears were closing in like a vice. She couldn’t breathe.

Bash could be heard pacing around the kitchen, separating himself from the situation and forcing himself to deal with the news in whatever way that didn’t involve taking it out on the doctor. Eventually Bash stepped in front of the stairs as he was on the move. Anne and Bash saw a glimpse of each other, both caught off guard in a vulnerable state. Another tear rolled down her cheek as she looked down at him.

The look they shared between each other was one filled with sorrow and disbelief, but somehow, understanding. Wordlessly, Bash climbed the steps, eventually kneeling on the step below Anne. He opened his arms and she sank into them without hesitation. Her breath shook as she cried harder into his shoulder. 

“I don’t want to lose him either.” Bash rubbed circles on her back as he spoke. “He’s my brother, and I love him.”

Anne only cried harder. “What are we gonna do...?”

“Be there for him.” He replied without skipping a beat. “When Mary fell sick-”

Something in his voice broke at the mention of Mary, but he found the strength to continue. “Gilbert is the one who taught me… How important it is to spend time with the ones you love. To hold on to the precious moments you share with them, and never let go.”

She held on tighter; her throat felt like it was closing, preventing her from speaking. 

Downstairs, the doctor continued to talk to Marilla and Matthew. She zoned back into the conversation as it began to draw to a close. 

“I wish there was more I could do…” Dr. Ward insisted. “If I could stay, I would. Unfortunately it’s not just Gilbert who needs medical attention.”

“We understand.” Marilla said. 

“I’m not saying this to give you false hope, but there is still a chance he can pull through this. Pneumonia is potentially very fatal, but there are those who have made a full recovery.”

Anne lifted her head from Bash’s shoulder in order to listen more carefully.

“Gilbert is as headstrong as they come, and I pray he makes it through this. Don’t give up on him.”

“We don’t plan on it.”

Anne and Bash finally released each other from their hug, a sudden surge of hope coursing through them. Although very serious, maybe it wasn’t quite the death sentence they were both imagining. The hope of seeing Gilbert make it through this was enough to send Anne back up to her feet. Bash was right, of course. She needed to make every moment count if she wanted to do right by Gilbert. 

Of course, she started by leaving the steps and returning to the guest room.

_______________________________

The evening came rather quickly, much quicker than expected. Marilla and Matthew did their best to comfort Anne after the news of the diagnosis. She reassured the two of them that she was fine- she didn’t want their pity. There would be time for that later, or hopefully not at all. 

Bash left soon after the doctor left, and went to fetch Delphine from Rachel Lynde. He gave Anne another hug goodbye and promised that he would be back to check up on Gilbert the next morning. 

Gilbert woke up occasionally, either from choking in his sleep or from feeling unwell in general. Per doctor’s orders, they refilled glass after glass of water, making sure he drank and stayed as hydrated as he possibly could. Even for meals, it was mostly broth with a few vegetables. 

For dinner, he was far too stubborn for his own good; downright refusing to eat any sort of meal until Anne sat down and pleaded with him. 

“Look, this is good for you, okay?” Anne persuaded, holding the bowl of vegetable soup as she tried to hand it off to him. 

“N’t hungry…” He shook his head, turning it away in disgust. 

“Gilbert.” 

He rolled his head back and stared at her. “Mm?”

“Stop being a baby.” She stared back, a smile starting to grow on her face. 

His eyes were still glazed over like a cloud, and the sweat that still coated his skin caused his dark curls to stay matted down and damp. Despite the pain he was in, there was still a vague sparkle in his eye. He gazed at her that way he always had, like it was a challenge. 

She realized how much she missed that.

“Or what?” He countered, smug look adorning his features. 

“Or I’ll find another slate to smash over your face.” She snapped back, amused. 

Gilbert laughed, a sound she hadn’t heard in weeks. It didn’t last very long, eventually deteriorating into a small coughing fit. When it finished he fell back against the pillows and took a few breaths to calm down. 

“Sorry.” She muttered. Though she wasn’t sure for what exactly. 

She set down the bowl of soup on the nightstand, instead focusing on propping up his pillows better, making it as comfortable as possible. 

“Anne?” He asked suddenly.

She stopped in her tracks for a second. “What is it?” 

She continued to tuck the sheets around him, leaving the top covers back to prevent his temperature from rising. 

“I’m pretty sick, huh?”

Anne caught his eye; he was looking right at her, his gaze unwavering. His voice was steady, but the small hint of fear in his eyes was enough to make her look away.

“I suppose so…”

“Is it contagious?” He pried, his expression containing nothing but concern. 

She ignored the question and instead kept herself busy by soaking a few more clean dishcloths in a bowl of fresh water. Part of her hoped that he looked away. That he did anything but stare. Whenever he did, she felt too exposed, too open. It was as if he could read everything thought and emotion that ran through her head. As much as she wanted to try, there was no hiding from him. 

Finally, she met his eyes. 

“Dr. Ward says you have pneumonia.”

Immediately she looked down again, not wanting to see his reaction.

“Oh.” 

He rolled his head back and stared off in a daze like state. For a minute or so, neither of them said anything. She knew that he understood the gravity of the situation. Now that she took time to think about it, his extensive medical knowledge must have told him everything he needed to know. 

“He said it was pretty bad…”

She stopped herself from continuing before she lost anymore control of her emotions. 

“Mhm.” Was all he could say. 

He turned to face her again. “You shouldn’t be here…”

“Gilbert-”

“No, Anne… Pneumonia is highly contagious…” As if it would make a difference, he began to inch away from her. “It’s not s-safe here.” 

“I know that.” She shot back. This was all getting frustrating. What would it matter now? If she was going to get infected, it would have been in her system already; there was no point in staying away now.

His whole body trembled, and he loosely wrapped a hand around his stomach. She could tell he was doing his best to resist the urge to vomit. 

“P-please.” He gasped between sharp intakes of breath. “I do-n’t want y-you to end up l-like me…”

“End up?” Her look was strong- unwavering. “I don’t want you talking like that. Not you too.”

He looked back up at her, his eyes wide yet he didn’t dare speak.

“You’re going to be fine.” She swallowed. Then in a moment of desperation, she took his free hand in both of her own. “I promise you.”

“You promise?” He repeated, and she hated the disbelief in his voice.

“Yes. I promise. Besides, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Slowly, he relaxed a bit more although his arm was still around his stomach. He let himself smile at her, despite the worry and fear that he clearly felt for her, he only held her hand tighter, finally acknowledging that she wasn’t going anywhere. 

“I think I can live with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can probably tell but i had no idea what type of personality to give dr. ward so he ended up with pretty much no personality... oops! anyways comment and suggest what you'd like to see next! I'd be more than happy to try and fit it into the story. thank you for all the support so far!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! this is my first fanfic for AWAE, and I hope to make many more. it's quickly become one of my favorite shows, and i've just fallen in love with the characters. specifically the family dynamic between Anne, Marilla, and Matthew, and of course, Anne and Gilberts relationship and how it grows. I hope I managed to capture their personalities so far, but I'll definitely continue to work on that. Not sure how long I'll make this fic as I'm still planning it out. Leave a comment and let me know what you thought!  
> Thank you again! :)


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